Happy Thursday, Shawnee Mission!
? Today’s forecast: Rainy and windy with rapidly falling temps. Wintry mix and snow possible tonight. High: 58. Low: 24.
? One thing to know today
All Shawnee fire stations will soon be outfitted with a new alert system that aims to give firefighters gentler, more customized alarms for emergencies in the middle of the night.
Under the old alarm system, alerts would go out to all four of the city’s firehouses, waking crews up with clanging bells and bright flashing lights.
Even if a crew was not the one being called to a fire, they’d still get the alarm and have their sleep disrupted. Shawnee fire officials say it’s one of the less-talked-about stresses of the job.
“You might not ever go on a call but you could get up seven times in the night with the bells ringing right next to you and the light coming on,” Shawnee Fire Capt. Tige Lamb says.
The new Westnet Station Alert System is an “incremental” system that uses red lights and in-bunk speakers to alert firefighters in the night of calls.
Individual firefighters can customize how they receive alerts, from the brightness of the light to the sounds they hear. And alerts can also be sent to specific crews inside the same firehouse so as not to disrupt others that don’t need to go out on a call.
The Westnet system is already installed in two of the city’s four fire stations, at a cost so far of $150,000.
The system will also soon be added to the two other fire stations, which are undergoing $26 million worth of renovations.
-Kaylie McLaughlin contributed to this report.
? Public meetings Thursday
- Board of County Commissioners, 9:30 a.m. [View agenda]
- JCCC Board of Trustees, 5:00 p.m. [View agenda]
? Post’s top Wednesday stories
- Home makeover star Tamara Day’s Prairie Village store closes
- Here’s what’s happening at Lenexa Point retail center off I-435
- Johnson County mayors oppose bill to end local food sales tax
- Flying Cow Gelato moves into downtown Shawnee after ice cream shop closes
- New French restaurant planned for downtown Shawnee
? Other local news
- The Qlathe BBQ Championship is coming up this weekend at Lone Elm Park in Olathe. [Kansas City Star]
- Forty new five-foot-tall ceramic hearts will be unveiled next month in a special follow-up event to last year’s metro-wide “Parade of Hearts” display. [Fox 4]
- Olathe Public Schools was ranked 12th on Forbes’ annual list of “Best Midsize Employers” in the United States. [Kansas City Business Journal]
? Notable tweets
Blue Valley West alum Kate Cosentino made her debut on this season’s “The Voice” singing competition.
Wow ?! Blue Valley West alum @KateMCosentino debuted on The Voice last night and it was electric! Way to represent Blue Valley, we are proud of you!
Incredible talent our alumni showcases all over the world. #BVTogether https://t.co/XNQ8XXasd1— Blue Valley Schools (@bvschools) March 15, 2023
The cold weather isn’t completely gone, but you get the idea.
Meadowbrook Park Update: As of March 1, the park hours are now 5am – 11pm. Pickleball Courts are open from 7am – 10pm. Please come out and enjoy the park this spring!
— Eric Mikkelson (@ericforpv) March 15, 2023
And as for that impending cold weather, here’s the potential timing:
Strong south winds are expected this AM, transitioning to the NW this afternoon. As the winds transition from the NW, much cooler air will move in. Rain is likely today, with the potential for light snow tonight. Snow Amounts are expected to be light, totaling 0.5" or less. pic.twitter.com/MNR5qml0NQ
— NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) March 16, 2023
? A thousand words
Some cute leprechauns spent the day Wednesday with seniors at Morningside Place, an Anthem Memory Care community in Overland Park. Photo courtesy Morningside Place.
